An advanced mini-robot named Tlaloc II-TC discovered three chambers built under the Temple of Quetzalcoatl, in the ancient city of Teotihuacan, built approximately 2,000 years ago in the northeast of what now is Mexico City.

Mexican archaeologists used the robot to access the last section of a very narrow tunnel under of the temple. The team, directed by Sergio Gómez Chávez, found multiple chambers instead of one, as it was expected, the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) in Mexico said.

Tláloc II-TC is a system of three independent mechanisms. The main one is a transport vehicle that weights about 35 kilograms (77 pounds) and is approximately 45 cm tall. It features a scanner that can map its surroundings within a 5-meter radius.

“The images registered with the video camera and the scanner were precise. The upper part of the tunnel is a semicircle and it stays constant up to the entrance of the chambers. It appears they are divided by a wall or a huge stone,” Gómez Chávez said in a statement in an INAH bulletin. "Also, they have a depth of more than 5 meters. We know this because that's the maximum measurement that the scanner can register, and it was indicating more depth."

The second part of the system is an insect robot that is transported by the main vehicle. It’s 40 centimeters long and it has an infrared camera. Its advantage is that it can explore further and avoid some obstacles.

The last part of the system is a helicopter with a video recorder. Gómez Chávez explained this last one is not used in interiors because of the risk that the underground air currents pose to it.

One of the main obstacles the robot found was the amount of mud in the tunnel, which in some parts went up to 30 centimeters (7 to 11 inches) deep.

Despite this, the engineer Hugo Armando Guerra of HA Robotics and his colleagues Francisco Castañón and Alberto Álvarez, said that the robot had a “successful” trip in the 65 feet of muddy conditions that it traveled.

The robot has inspected approximately 76 meters (249 feet) of the tunnel, which in total is about 120 meters long (393 feet), according to the INAH.

In 2010, a robot named Djedi explored the Cheops pyramid in Egypt. Doctor Ng Tze Chuen, who created that robot, is helping the HA Robotics and INAH team with the modifications made to the Tlaloc II-TC for this mission, called Tlalocan: Underground Road.

“In the Great Pyramid (Cheops), Djedi went through a narrow and steep tunnel and it just corroborated the presence of a wall. Without any doubts, in Teotihuacan there will be important findings," said Tze Chuen.

“Both buildings (Cheops and the Temple of Quetzalcoatl) are absolutely different, both in their construction, and in their antiquity. The first one is 4,000 years old and the second one 2,000 years old. However, here (in the Temple of Quetzalcoatl) there is more space to explore,” said Tze Chuen, according to the INAH.

The temple was built approximately 2,000 years ago in honor of the god Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent.

“Now we know that there are three chambers," Gómez said. "The next step is to take the pertinent measures to remove the sediments and the filling that was placed by the Teotihuacans to block the last stretch of the tunnel."

The archaeologists believe that in the last part of the tunnel, they will find a staircase that descends about 4 meters into an underground gallery that might be 10 meters long.

We are idiots and we think we are so evolved. Many people still think the Gutenberg Bible is the first written book. The Chinese were writing books 700 years earlier. Technologies have come and gone, entier races have come and gone. We don't know how the pyramids were built or how to replicate the technology needed to build some of the worlds anchient monuments. We have a long way to go and there are many discoveries left to make. Time for our ego to be taken down a peck or two.

May 3, 2013 at 10:04 am |

Jaimie

Yes, there is a lot to be said. Explorers come and go. Some right and some wrong in their perceptions of who what when where and why. But this is all we have and it is up to each individual to agree or disagree.

May 3, 2013 at 12:17 pm |

Jack Rivera

Once they explore the remainder of the tunnel they will be coming out behind a warehouse in Tucson.

May 3, 2013 at 2:53 pm |

MrCrewel Dude

Just like the chambers under the great Pyramid !

May 3, 2013 at 5:01 am |

The Jackdaw

Yes. Two cultures built rooms under temples. Clearly they were linked by aliens.

May 3, 2013 at 10:00 am |

Pete

LoL

May 10, 2013 at 9:25 pm |

Rev. Cook

Understanding the past is essential for our very survival. Remember some of these great lost cities were the home of many thousands. We have little to no clue what happened to them and we need to find out so it don't happen again. Was it a cold that wiped out those thousands, or did they all just pick up and leave? And if so why? was it crop failure from over irrigation? WAS THERE A WAR??? the only way to find this out as well as a vast myriad of other questions is for someone to actually go there and look... that takes time and usually considerable money. I don't suppose those guides cost anything do they???

This is also how we found out that Peanut Butter has been around since the INCAS invented it Circa 450 B.C.E.

May 3, 2013 at 4:58 am |

Chris

's actually a pretty well accepted idea that is was famine and exhaustion of local resources that caused people to disperse and leave these cities behind. Which is lesson when we need to listen too as we are vunerable to that as well.

May 3, 2013 at 10:13 am |

Valentijn

Uh huh. I've seen AvP, and I'm pretty sure that's where you'll find the predators waiting to implant the humans so that the predators can hunt the offspring for sport. At least the little robot should be safe ...

May 3, 2013 at 4:30 am |

cheeseroll

That's an ancient smuggling tunnel. The inhabitants 2,000 years ago of what is now Mexico wanted to enjoy the same benefits as the North American Indians in what is now the United States.

May 3, 2013 at 12:59 am |

Burt Ward

Wow, how ironic. Mexico can't fund its own medical system and reduced funding $2B because they know all they have to do is send sick or pregnant Mexicans to the USA where there are plenty of public funded ¡ES LA LEY! free hospitals.

May 2, 2013 at 8:47 pm |

Burt Ward

But they can spend millions on toys to play under pyramids.

May 2, 2013 at 8:48 pm |

bspurloc

but u cant read. there was no mention of a pyramid in Mexico. grats tho. whine more

May 2, 2013 at 11:19 pm |

Enzo

Why don't you just move on. I'm so tired of hearing whining little men. Do something constructive with yourself...geez.

May 3, 2013 at 12:08 am |

Burt Ward

bspurloc,
There are more pyramids in MesoAmerican than in Egypt. The ones in Mexico represent the ancient Toltec, Maya, and Aztec societies. If they keep looking long enough, they may find caches of gold. Imagine that, they can pay the USA for the huge social debts they have ran up.

May 3, 2013 at 12:15 am |

Mary

The last part of your sentence should be "they have run up" not they have ran up. Another product of the American public school system.

May 3, 2013 at 12:55 am |

Ron

OK, I must have missed something!! It says they found matalic discs!!! Al I see is electric cables and rocks, where are the artifacts they found.
They said they are going to explore a chamber where they will find a staircase 3 meters long with a room at the bottom??? If they haven't been in the room before, how do they know what they are going to find?? I agree, sounds like tey found an ancient sewer sistern. says there is a foot of mud blocking the way, I doonn't THIINNK its Muudd!!

May 2, 2013 at 8:25 pm |

bspurloc

yeah how can they know something is under the ground... Oh I dunno... SONAR maybe? nah. not invented yet

May 2, 2013 at 11:21 pm |

gary

whooweee, you should all read about this on yahoo. in their article, they say the scientists found 'mysterious metallic spheres.' they supply a photograph that appears to show rocks that are not mysterious, metallic nor spherical. nevertheless, tabloid journalism is more fun :)

May 2, 2013 at 5:43 pm |

Melliejones

Wonderful article. The ability of ancient peoples to build these elaborate temples is so fascinating.

May 2, 2013 at 5:43 pm |

Alan

Perrochato
I really like the last sentence in your post. You nailed it right on the head.

May 2, 2013 at 5:39 pm |

Irving

Why study these things? Try these for starters:
"Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it." (George Santayana)
"The motto of history should run, eadem sed aliter." [the same things in different ways]. (Arthur Schopenhaue5)

May 2, 2013 at 5:10 pm |

MBreazzano

These were likely early drug-smuggling tunnels, a Mexican tradition that continues to today.

May 2, 2013 at 4:35 pm |

palintwit

I'm very sorry that my lack of intelligence and creativity results in me posting the same tired references to NASCAR, "patriots", teabags, teabillies, and the like. I promise to introduce new ideas into my commentary. Look for groundbreaking insults such as references to living in a basement, playing video games in said basement and mommy wants you to come up for cookies/dinner. Now that's comedy gold!

May 2, 2013 at 4:19 pm |

perrochato

As expected put out a morsel of knowledge or some bit that may lead to another discovery of our past and it is as if a powerful allergen has been released into the air and it gets all the religous pervs and racist hate mongering tea baggers out of the woodwork coughing up their anti-intellectual phlem. There are so many interesting archeological discoveries yet to be made. Look at all the recent discoveries about potential new pyramid sites in Egypt using satellite technology, with a few already verified. Look at the discoveries in Peru with Caral as old as the pyramids of Egypt, the network of ancient navigable channels deep in the Amazon and the Hobbits of Flores Island. Previous discovery of tunnels and tombs underneath these grand Meso-American Temples have led to many more discoveries of their culture and history along with the unearthing of artifacts. Thanks for reporting this, something else to keep track to see if any significant artifacts are unearthed. For the phlem throwers, ignorance can be fixed but stupid is a genetic sentence for life.

May 2, 2013 at 2:34 pm |

Brian

Hear, hear!

May 2, 2013 at 2:52 pm |

Dean

Hate mongering teabaggers, religious pervs?????????? Are we reading the same article or are you engulfed with your hatred so much that you can't find reality?

May 2, 2013 at 3:40 pm |

Brian

You may have misunderstood perrochato. He was referring to a lot of comments below the article.

May 2, 2013 at 3:54 pm |

PatTar

The only comment I saw on this comment section mentioning the tea party was a lame attempt at a joke about the tea party, not from them. Dean is right – perrochato is seeing things.

May 2, 2013 at 3:57 pm |

Quid Malmborg in Plano TX

Gee, Dean. Sounds like you're offended by all that. Hit a little too close to home did it? ;-D

May 2, 2013 at 3:58 pm |

PatTar

@Quid Malmborg in Plano TX: Your comment should have been directed to Perrochato and his rant. The question is, what orifice did Perrochato pull HIS rant out of?

May 2, 2013 at 4:01 pm |

Brian

No tea party references, but there are some head-scratching comments here.

"what is this? i want to know more about the chambers not about robots and their expeditions. rubbish."

"Don't believe me? some of the top minds in the world right now believe that in the near future we will attain godhood, and that if you try to stop it from happening, they will kill you. That's been proven through interviews, I wish I could think of the man's name, but I cannot.

Turn away from sin, reject the cares of the world and believe in Jesus, there is no other hope for mankind."

"Cheops is 4000 years old??? LOL that's funny.... They still clinging to that notion?"

"instead of obviously spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on this tunnel survey, why not put the money toward keeping the Mexicans safe and drug-free, killing drug terrorists, eliminating some poverty and cleaning up the armpit of North America..."

"Same reason we waste millions going into space to collect rocks. Was there ever water on Mars? Who cares? Doesn't affect my life. We did manage to lose a number of astromauts in the process though. Exploring these tunnels will result in absolutely nothing. What happened 4000 years ago is over and done. Doesn't change the present."

May 2, 2013 at 4:03 pm |

Bob

Man you are such a angry liberal!!

May 2, 2013 at 6:26 pm |

history bear

Preach it brother. The more we know the better.

May 2, 2013 at 5:53 pm |

rosie

Looks like the ancient tunnels had lights, water, and internet cabling installed!! Or did I miss something from this story?

May 2, 2013 at 2:32 pm |

Logic

I think they just found the priest's latrine is all.

May 2, 2013 at 2:17 pm |

Hal

Seems like most here strayed from the subject. Humans are naturally curious. Exploration is where it's at. That's what these guys do. Don't knock em.

May 2, 2013 at 2:07 pm |

RedskinsFan

Hey, I guess that we finally found the Predator's Xenomorph birthing chamber!

All kidding and horrible movie references aside, this is pretty cool to have found.

May 2, 2013 at 2:00 pm |

Informed

Unless you find yourself in the sacrificial chamber.

May 3, 2013 at 11:50 am |

lively

what is this? i want to know more about the chambers not about robots and their expeditions. rubbish.

May 2, 2013 at 1:09 pm |

Brandon

I bet they haven't scoped into the tunnels yet, so all they could write about was the robots.

May 2, 2013 at 1:10 pm |

EuphoriCrest

Anything that doesn't interest you is "rubbish." Narcissistic personality disorder.

May 2, 2013 at 2:42 pm |

Brandon

So, am I the only one who saw this and just thought it was cool?

Or neat? Or something?

May 2, 2013 at 1:08 pm |

PatTar

No, you are not the only one at all. Good for you, Brandon.

May 2, 2013 at 3:59 pm |

Homie

Nope, I am with you. And there are many more of us, that don't comment.

May 2, 2013 at 4:24 pm |

Joshua P

It is in our nature to want to know, to understand. However I can understand people not wanting to waste valuable resources while people starve to death and die from exposure. It is readily apparent though that the question "why do we" is not as important as the question no one seems to be asking, which is "should we?"

We should not tamper with genetics, we should not, like Pepsi, use embryonic stem cells to try and improve the taste of cola, or put human DNA into rice to try and cultivate some form of drug. WE SHOULD NOT CROSS HUMAN AND ANIMAL DNA to make Chimeras of rats that can grow human organs so we can live longer. This is all messed up, We stopped asking should we, because we want to be gods and we will do whatever we have to do to become gods.

Don't believe me? some of the top minds in the world right now believe that in the near future we will attain godhood, and that if you try to stop it from happening, they will kill you. That's been proven through interviews, I wish I could think of the man's name, but I cannot.

Turn away from sin, reject the cares of the world and believe in Jesus, there is no other hope for mankind.

May 2, 2013 at 1:06 pm |

Joshua P

And yes I know how crazy that sounds, but a small bit of research on the websites of companies like Monsanto, MIT and others will validate the claims, furthermore if all you want to do is insult me, I just insulted myself so spare yourself the 30 seconds and actually do something productive.

May 2, 2013 at 1:08 pm |

Brandon

How in any way is your rant related to some robots scoping out an ancient tunnel?

May 2, 2013 at 1:09 pm |

Brian

"Don't believe me? some of the top minds in the world right now believe that in the near future we will attain godhood, and that if you try to stop it from happening, they will kill you. That's been proven through interviews, I wish I could think of the man's name, but I cannot."

I do not believe you. Shocker, I know.

May 2, 2013 at 1:35 pm |

cedar rapids

'some of the top minds in the world right now believe that in the near future we will attain godhood, and that if you try to stop it from happening, they will kill you.'

*facepalm*

May 2, 2013 at 2:00 pm |

Mike

Only 7 sec... def. worth it do laugh at your comment!

May 2, 2013 at 2:27 pm |

Mike

Oops, should have used the 8th second to spell right!

May 2, 2013 at 2:29 pm |

Quid Malmborg in Plano TX

Wrong article for your pro-mind conTROLL rant.

May 2, 2013 at 3:59 pm |

Informed

Winner of most entertaining post here. Wow, what utter nonsense, filled with untruths and myth. Stick with the script, we want more comments about Aliens, at least they are more fun.

May 3, 2013 at 11:54 am |

Squeezebox

@Blake, there are 2 reasons for studying rocks in space. #1 to find out what they're worth and #2 to find out how to move polluting industries off of Earth and to some other rock where we can pollute as much as we want.

May 2, 2013 at 12:48 pm |

leggs

And 3, to find out how to alter their course to avoid hitting us.

May 2, 2013 at 6:14 pm |

Robert

And all these people lived and died 2000 years ago without the knowledge of the Christ, who died and rose again. What they would have given to have known about that! Yet our generation is throwing that knowledge away as if it were trash.

May 2, 2013 at 12:39 pm |

palintwit

It is trash. Period.

May 2, 2013 at 12:43 pm |

Jesus

There are other nice fairy tales available try to be more open minded

May 2, 2013 at 12:44 pm |

Ralphiec88

"In the beginning, there was God..."

You believe you're a person of faith, but you believe God can be "thrown away" that easily?

May 2, 2013 at 12:57 pm |

cedar rapids

seriously robert? you bring that nonsense to this article?

May 2, 2013 at 2:01 pm |

KLARGAR

So someone who is a commandant of a death camp can claim they have seen the light and have accepted Christ and will find their way into his kingdom, yet the millions of non believers he killed will suffer an eternity in hell . So you chose who you want to spend eternity with you delusional fool.

May 2, 2013 at 2:34 pm |

Dean

True repentance and acceptance of Christ will erase all sins. Not accepting Christ as your savior will keep you out of heaven. I didn't make the rules but that is the way it is.

May 2, 2013 at 3:37 pm |

Brian

@Dean, are all Jews going to hell?

May 2, 2013 at 3:55 pm |

Odysseusv

Hell is not a place of torment according to the Bible! It is the eventuality of both man and beast alike according to Ecclesiates written by wise King Solomon. He states that there is no work, no thoughts, no rewards in sheol or Hell (KJV) the place to which all men go! A fiery burning Hell is a myth cooked up by the catholic church then borrowed by many protestants and Mohammed. Idea of Hell even predates Christianity as it was hades to the greeks. Anyone who thinks God torments his own children in a fiery hell has not read God's thoughts to Jeremiah when the Israelites were making their children pass thru the fire to false gods, God said he thought the idea was detestable to him and nothing that ever came up into his heart to do to his children!!

May 2, 2013 at 5:39 pm |

okiejoe

Dean - How do you know "that's the way it is?" Have you been there? Or is it just your "faith" talking? If so, it's not worth squat as proof.

May 2, 2013 at 11:55 pm |

EuphoriCrest

Their pantheon was complete. They did not need another god.

May 2, 2013 at 3:21 pm |

PatTar

I find it intriguing that their god was the feathered serpent, in light of the recent discoveries about dinosaurs evolving into birds and the Archaeopteryx fossils.

May 2, 2013 at 12:32 pm |

palintwit

*yawn*

May 2, 2013 at 1:03 pm |

PatTar

I understand how an on-topic comments would baffle you. But almost anything would baffle you, wouldn't it?

May 2, 2013 at 3:53 pm |

Odysseusv

Or many Dinosaurs were featherless birds see KU study the flap over Birds!

May 2, 2013 at 5:42 pm |

Lobelia

"Recent" discoveries?

May 3, 2013 at 11:02 am |

Chuck

Anyone who has ever owned or used a ruler in school knows that 30cm = 12 inches. Where did this 7-11 inches idea come from?

No, he was quibbling about 1 to 5 inches that are missing. When he typed 7-11" he didn't mean 7.11"; he meant 7 to 11 inches. Since there are approximately 30.5 cm in 12 inches, there are 1 to 5 inches missing.

May 2, 2013 at 2:04 pm |

Pancho Villa

Where we came from and the inquisitive aspect of human existence lead us to explore the unknown and our past. This underground network of tunnels is the perfect storm that brings everything about us into focus.

Voyager I & II have gone past Pluto on their way out of our Solar System and continue to send information back to Earth. The only thing we derive from that data is knowledge but that my friends is what separates us from the apes.

At least in my case!

May 2, 2013 at 11:55 am |

MikeFright

Actually, everyone on this board is an ape, including me and you.

May 3, 2013 at 12:09 am |

Sunflower2

Cheops is 4000 years old??? LOL that's funny.... They still clinging to that notion?

May 2, 2013 at 11:51 am |

cedar rapids

you need to give us your take on its age

May 2, 2013 at 2:03 pm |

Mari

@ NoJose–let's not forget that the Mexican cartels provide the drugs to the mass consumers across the border. It is time that we address the issue of recreational drug use in the United States and in other "developed" nations.

May 2, 2013 at 11:22 am |

Mari

Although I agree that the Mexican government needs to allocate resources to fight organized crime, this article is not about that particular topic. The on-going research and discovery of never before seen chambers could lead us to a better understanding of ancient history.

May 2, 2013 at 11:19 am |

palintwit

Skulls with only one tooth and fragments of very old mason jars indicate that these tunnels were once occupied by ancient tea party patriots.

May 2, 2013 at 11:19 am |

PatTar

Lame. Go back to the Ticker where your piercing wit will be appreciated.

May 2, 2013 at 12:28 pm |

palintwit

Get back in your trailer. Nascar's on and you certainly won't want to miss that.

May 2, 2013 at 12:41 pm |

Jesus

Proving once again tea party patriots are vastly superior

May 2, 2013 at 12:48 pm |

roadrunner

On a recent History Channel pertaining to these finds, they were showing sherds and fragments that were depicting individuals standing beside their family tree that just had one branch.

May 2, 2013 at 10:18 pm |

Quid Malmborg in Plano TX

@NoJose: Instead of spewing racist hatred in the form of inane ignorant trolls, why not do something positive with your life like GETTING A JOB?!?!

May 2, 2013 at 10:59 am |

ritmocojo

Can't leave his bridge unattended or another troll will move in on his hiney.

May 2, 2013 at 11:40 am |

LinSea

Where is the Biggest Billy Goat Gruff when you need him?

May 2, 2013 at 12:48 pm |

NoJose

instead of obviously spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on this tunnel survey, why not put the money toward keeping the Mexicans safe and drug-free, killing drug terrorists, eliminating some poverty and cleaning up the armpit of North America...

May 2, 2013 at 10:40 am |

Blake

Same reason we waste millions going into space to collect rocks. Was there ever water on Mars? Who cares? Doesn't affect my life. We did manage to lose a number of astromauts in the process though. Exploring these tunnels will result in absolutely nothing. What happened 4000 years ago is over and done. Doesn't change the present.

May 2, 2013 at 11:36 am |

Brian

Exactly, Blake! Scientists shouldn't study ANYTHING that either A) doesn't involve the life of you, Blake, or B) happened in the past. What a waste of time!

May 2, 2013 at 1:11 pm |

Mud

Why even read the article and comment on it then?

May 2, 2013 at 1:49 pm |

CMFJ

Right. History, our world, how civilizations have prospered or faded, the universe around us, and any question relevant to those things are wasteful. So are the technologies created in the pursuit of those ideas. None of that has ever helped us or brought anything important into our lives.

Thankfully, throughout history there have been enough intellectually curious, dedicated, and selfless people in the world that have seen the worth of learning about and exploring things that do not directly affect them. Those people brought our civilization forward while slugs like you were unengaged and disinterested.

So when the technology that was developed for this leads to rescuing someone in a cave or other difficult terrain, I'm sure you won't care then either unless it is you.

May 2, 2013 at 2:46 pm |

CMFJ

Until you demonstrate a) how much this cost and b) from where the funding came, your comment is worthless.

May 2, 2013 at 2:47 pm |

ritmocojo

How would you know anything about Mexico when you've never left the confines of your bridge that is in your trailer park?

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